Pipe-coupling.



A PATENTED FEB, 26, 1907.

ELspsTUoY, yPIPE GOUPLING, APPLICATION FILEIJ SEPT.6. 1906.

2 sur: Ts-sHBET 1.

f ,/VVlba/ p a y IIIIIII HENRY S. STUCY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

PIPE-COUPLlNG.

No. 845,141. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1 907.

Application filed September 6.1906. Serial No. 333,556.

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY S. STUCY, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefl`erson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and improved Pipe-Couplingl of which the following is a specification.

AMy invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in flexible pipe-joints of the type having provisions in virtue of which the joint can be used either as a steam-pipe joint or as a liquid-pipe joint, as may be i'ound desirable.

lPrimarily my invention has for its object to provide a coupling of this character which can be easily and cheaply manufacturar and which will readily and effectively serve its intended purposes and in which the parts are so arranged and constructed as. to be easily renewed when worn.

Generically my invention comprises a novel bearing-ring for coperating'with the ball and ball bearings ofa ball-and-socket joint and means for securing the ring in place.

\/\lith other objects in view than have been heretofore specified the invention also inoludes certain novel combination, arrangement, and construction of parts, all of which will be first described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a central vertical longitudinal section of one form of my invention, showing the position of the parts when adjusted for a loose joint. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the part-s adjusted for a tight joint. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the bearing-ring. Fig. 4 is an end view thereof. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of my invention. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the form of my invention disclosed in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the bearing-ring shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is an end View thereof. Fig. 9 1s a sectional view of a further modification of bearingring.

Referring now to the accompanying drawlngs. in which like numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, l designates the socket member of the coupling, which comprises a bell la and a stem 1b. -The stem 1b is tapped at 1C, and has its outer face provided with a nut portion, as indicated. The bell la has an internal chamber 1d and an internal bearingfiange le, which coperates with the outer bearing-face 2b of the ball 2a of the ball member 2 of the joint. The bell la also has an external thread 1f at its mouth to receive an annular securing-collar 3, as shown. The collar 3 has an end flange 8d, having a shoulder 3b for purposes presently understood. rl`he ball member 2 has an internal chamber 2C, whose mouth 2d communicates with the internal chamber of the bell le, the ball member also including a neck-2C, tapped as at :lf and formed with. an external nut portion, as clearly shown in the drawings.

4 designates a bearing-ring which in the type ofv my invention shown in Fig. l is an 'nular and has its outer face 4'nl of a diameter to snugly fit within the bell-mouth. The ring 4 has its outer face divided into two equal parts by an annular flange 4b, which ts over the end of the bell-mouth and is secured in place by the collar 3, whose shoulder 3b engages the flange 4b, as shown. The bearing-ring in this form of my invention has two spherical bearing-faces 4c and 4d, respectively, of different or unequal areas, although both are curved on equal radii of curvature.

When it is desired to use my coupling as a steam-pipe joint, then the parts are in the position sho wn in Fig. l, with the ring 4 held to have its face 4-C engaged by the spherical bearing-surface of the ball, while the ball is held out of engagement with the bearingfaces of the fiange l9 by the steam-pressure, as is lwell understood in the art, the coupling in this intance being loose. l/Vhen, however, it is desired to convert mv coupling for use under low-pressure-pipe systems-such, for instance, as coupling for water-pipes-then the ring 4 is reversed to bring its bearing-sun face 4d of lesser degree into engagement with the ball, so as to cause the ball to seat both against such bearing-face 4C1 and the bearingface of the fiange le, thus forming a watertight joint, such as is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, it being understood that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l the flange 4b of the ring 4 is in contact with the end face of the bell, while when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 a space 5 is left between the flange 4b and the bell.

vThis is to enable any wear on the smaller bearing-surface 4d to be compensated for by the collar 3, which can be screwed down on lOO IIO

the bell more and .more as thejring-surface 4C1 wears down, so as to always maintain 'a tight joint. Y

In the form of my invention shown in Figs.

5 to 8, inclusive, the ring 4 has both bearing faces of equal area, as at 4r and 4S, while the outer wall of the ring 4 is divided by the flange 4b engages the bell edge and the'ball has its bearing-surface held in engagen'ient with the spherical bearing-surface 4S of the 4 ring 4 ard out of engagement with the bearing-surface l? ofthe bell by the fluid-pressure;

When the parts are to be usedas 'a 'coupling for low-fluid-pressure (water, &c.) pipe, f

thon the ring 4 is reversed, `as before,` land adjuste d, as shown in Fig. 6, to make a fluid a tight tint.

member has a motion in alldireotions from alincment 'with the socket member of about twenty degrees.

From the foregoing it will be seen 'that in both the forms of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the principle of operation of the ring 4 is the same. In the one case the 'unequal area of the spherical bearing zones performs the diilerential function necessary, while in the other case such function is performed by the unequalv external face of the ring.

When it is desired to supply couplingto the trade for use either as a steam-pipe' coupling or as a water-pipe 'coupling alone, the ring 4 may be made withboth its spherical bearing-surfaces 4r and 4s equal in areaas in Fig. 5, for instance-and alsob'oth portions 4a of the outer surface of the ring may be made equal-as, for instance, in Fig.` 1. llius when one surface 4r wears down the ring may be reversed and the 'other surface 4s used before it becomesnec'ess'ary to renew the bearing-ring. This form of ring with equal bearing-surfaces and Aequal external surfaces is shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. y

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, y

it is thought the complete construction, operation, and numerous advantages of my 1nvention Will be readily understood by those K substantially as shown.

skillerlinth'e. art-to whffiehit appertair-is, and I-desire-to say that numerous slight changes the detailed' construction, combination,

and arrangement of parts may be readily xma'dewithout departing from the scope of the invention or the appended claims. 4Having' thus described my invention, 'what YIclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- '1. The combination with acball vmember and a bell member', of af reversible bearingringheldiin the mouth Iof the bell andhavin'g a pair of 'spheri'c al lbearingesurfaces, .and 'ja/r1-y annular-flange en its extenral-surface 'and-a' collarheld overv the 'ring-flange and having a threaded en agement withthey bell.

2. The leornliination 'with the ball member and the bellinernber, of a reversible bearing-l rng held 'in 'thenrouth of the bel-l and having j a 'pair Iof 'spherical -bearin`g=surfac'es,A andl an In both forms of my invention the ball annular flangeyon its' external -surface, di,L l

3; Theeombinatlon with the b'allmember and a bell-member, said-bell member having a bearing-flange on' its inner surfaces* to cooperate wth theball, when the-members are under one adjustment, ofV av reversible* bearing-,ring held inthe mouth ofV thebell, and

having a; pair. of spherical bearing-:surfaces and 'anV external flange, sai'd'ringhaving a pair of unequal lexternal surfaces, one on each side of the flange, and a collar having shoulders for'en'gagingthe ring-flange, and having aI portion held over the bell-mouth and secured thereto, substantially as 'shown and described.

4. The combinationwith a ball member and a bell member; of a reversible bearingring having an external flange, an annular collar secured over the bell member and havv ing shoulders for enga"gingV the ring-flange', said ring having provisions in virtue of which, when the ring is'in one position a` tight coupling is obtained andwh'en the ringis in'it's reversed position a loose coupling is obtained,

HENRY S. STUCY.

Witnesses:

PANK, A. A; GrEs. 

